HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-08-13, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2009.
Stratford, like Blyth and many
rural communities in Southwestern
Ontario, has its culture, economics
and history heavily influenced by
the agricultural lands and farming
people that surround it.
For Rural Roots, the final
exhibition of the 2009 season, the
Blyth Festival Art Gallery invited 19
artist members of Stratford’s Gallery
96 to take a look at the beauty of
rural Ontario and some of the issues
that face this community.
Currently located in an old
Stratford furniture factory, Gallery
96 is an artist co-operative that has
been together for over 30 years. Its
membership is made up of artists
working in variety of media:
painters, print makers, sculptors,
photographers, illustrators, graphic
artists, props makers, a cartoonist
and a fibre artist. The group seeks to
promote and educate its artists and
the larger community in the visual
arts.
Artists are storytellers. They see
and record beauty and ugliness,
harmony and discord, life and death
with an eye for the aesthetic.
For example, painter Nancy
Groenestege documents the
corrosion of architectural detail with
her fine brushwork.
Printmaker Gloria Kagawa speaks
to the issue of thoroughfares that
bypass rural communities and
exploit farmland, an issue currently
facing the New Hamburg and
Shakespeare area of Highway 8.
Other members look at genetically
modified food, animal rights and the
loss of woodlots and fencerows in
our environment.
Not all the work has a serious
message. Carolyn Horley shares
memories of a rural family picnic
with her installation of prop food.
The intricacies of a spider’s web are
captured in metal sculpture by
Glenn Elliott. Erik Sansom creates
visual puns adding to the element of
humour.
In all, 19 artists give their take on
life in rural Ontario.
Rural Roots opened on Friday,
Aug. 7.
The exhibition, curated by Greg
Sherwood and sponsored by Lynda
and Duncan McGregor, continues
until the end of the theatre season.
The show, presented in the Bainton
Gallery, next to the Blyth Festival
box office is open Tuesday to
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
The Blyth Festival Art Gallery is
co-ordinated by an informal group
of gallery volunteers.
If you would like to become
involved or would like more
information about any of the
exhibitions, contact Robert Tetu at
519-345-2184 or e-mail
beechwood@cyg.net
Brussels Ambassador Kari Bell isin the midst of preparing for a rightof passage for every Ontario
ambassador: The Canadian National
Exhibition.
Bell says that while she doesn’t
know too much about the upcoming
competition, she is very excited
about the whole experience waiting
for her in Toronto.
She says she has spoken briefly to
former ambassadors about the
competition, but she is still quite in
the dark about what is in store for
her on her upcoming trip.
She has, however, heard about the
ambassador parade, which she will
be featured in and is really looking
forward to.
“It’s a really big event and I want
to learn as much as I can while I’m
there,” Bell said.
Over 70 ambassadors from
throughout the province will be in
Toronto for the competition, which
is now in its 38th year.
All of the ambassadors will be
vying for the title of Ambassador of
the Fair.
In order to be considered,
contestants must first have won their
local ambassador fair and then
participate in the three-day judging
competition in Toronto.
Contestants will be judged on their
knowledge of the Canadian National
Exhibition as well as agriculture.Other factors will include theirpoise, personality, interview andoverall impression.After the initial interviews areconducted, a group of seven semi-
finalists will be selected and are
asked to give a short speech on
agriculture, agricultural societies or
another aspect of their own fair or
exhibition.
Last year, while Brussels
ambassador Sara Baker didn’t make
it to the group of seven semi-
finalists, she said she had “a blast,”
meeting ambassadors from all over
the province and learning all about
the different cultures from all over
Ontario.
Bell is looking forward to this
competition as the finishing touch
on a year that she has thoroughly
enjoyed.
She also says that the trip to
Toronto couldn’t have come at a
better time, as she is preparing to
make the move to London for her
first semester at the University of
Western Ontario, where she will be
taking psychology.
“This has been an amazing year.
Especially because I’m moving outat the end of the summer, I havedefinitely felt more connected to thecommunity,” she said.She says that she has had theopportunity to meet a lot more
people and learn a lot more about
Brussels than she would have
normally if she wasn’t named thevillage’s ambassador.Bell’s trip to Toronto will becoming right around the time shewill inevitably be relieved of hercrown, with four new contestants
vying for the title of Brussels
Ambassador next weekend.
Brussels Ambassador competes at CNE
The gift of life
Over 80 units of blood were collected at the Canadian
Blood Services donor clinic in Blyth at the end of July. Ron
Walker relaxes while donating the gift of life, that could
potentially help three patients. (Dianne Josling photo)
404 Queen St., Blyth
519-523-4792
541 Turnberry St., Brussels
519-887-9114
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KARI BELL
Off to the Ex
Rural Roots on display
at Festival Art Gallery